Indicted lobbyist’s wife gave FBI documents

Sherry and Gary Pierce leaving the courthouse after their indictments.

By Katie Campbell | Arizona Capitol Times

An attorney representing indicted lobbyist Jim Norton said in court Tuesday the lobbyist’s ex-wife provided more than 250 pages of documents to the federal investigation that also includes former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce, his wife Sherry Pierce and Johnson Utilities owner George Johnson.

The defendants were indicted in May on federal charges of felony conspiracy, bribery, mail fraud and five counts of wire fraud. They have pleaded not guilty.

They were in court to get access to various FBI interviews, case agent notes and other documents.

Prosecutors would not share some of them unless there was a court order prohibiting the defense team from sharing them with others, including the media. The government argued outside disclosure could harm another — and larger — investigation that is still pending.

Norton’s attorney, Ivan Mathew, mentioned Kelly Norton in reference to activities previously attributed in the indictment to an unindicted co-conspirator who has not been identified.